May 8, 2009
I appreciate the opportunity to provide a novice investor's point of view.
While I have to confess I only have a very basic understanding of the practice of Short Selling, I also have to believe it is very similar to that of millions of other John/Jane Q Public investors that are just trying to save for their kids college tuition and retirement.
If someone where to ask be for a definition of Short Selling I'd define it as a person placing a bet on the movement of a certain stocks price – key word here is BET.
My assumption has always been that the stock market, the market you are entrusted to protect, is in place for individuals to invest in, not bet against. Sure, investing in a stock/company could be viewed as a bet that it will prosper. But making that bet is ultimately vested in how well the underlying company performs in making its Widget, long term – but vested in the movement of its stock price in the short term.
Allowing an investment tactic to influence a stocks price verse letting the companys ability to produce and sell widgets just seems to go against the very essence of the financial system the markets are meant to provide. So, please restructure the investment market to be just that – a place where individuals can invest. Please stop the horse track betting parlor its become.